Matthew:

 

You didn't indicate whether you want accompanied or a cappella pieces.

If you are willing an original piece (as opposed to a traditional one that

your audience would recognize) consider my piece The Shepherd and 

the King.  It is SATB plus harp, though piano works well.  A bit over

three minutes long; not difficult. The poem is by Eleanor Farjeon.

 

It won the Welcome Christmas! contest spopnosed by

the American Composers Forum and VocalEssence, under Philip Brunelle.

It has been recorded by several choruses, including VocalEssence.

 

It has been published by William Thorpe.  You can look at score pages

and hear an excerpt here, at Thorpe/s web site.   You can hear a complete

performance by the San Joaquin Chorale here.

 

Cheers,

Brian Holmes

Please consider my piece Land of Crystal Dreams, a secular carol for the winter holiday season - English - text by Erica L. Hoffman - SATB chorus & optional percussion (glockenspiel and vibraphone) - 2002 - ECS Publishing #6166. Kindly follow this link http://www.ecspub.com/New%20issue/spring04/6166WEB.pdf 
to see a PDF of the score and hear a performance by the Philovox Ensemble, Jennifer Lester, conductor. Canticle Distributing (MorningStar Music) now handles all North American sales for ECS Publishing's sheet music and books. Thank you for your consideration.
 
Stanley M. Hoffman
---
www.choralnet.org/view/user/12190
www.stanleymhoffman.com
www.ecspublishing.com
www.morningstarmusic.com
 
 
 

 

You might like to check out my new setting of 'See amid the Winter's Snow' on youtube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBNf5avr4aA.  It's SATB with a little bit of division, but should be well within the capabilities of a good school choir. The youtube version has orchestral accompaniment, but the standard accompaniment is for piano. It's obtainable from  OUP at http://ukcatalogue.oup.com/product/9780193359284.do#.UZ9F-pWe1z0  .

We Three Kings  arr. Darmon Meader

For your select high school choir, you might consider Moon Man, my comic holiday carol about the man in the moon on Christmas Day.  It was premiered last December by the Cascadian Chorale.  You may hear their performance, read the text and download a perusal PDF score on my website at www.gregbartholomew.com/moonmanindex.html.

Here are two up-beat winter sleigh songs. Both have recordings on the Pepper site.

 

"Winter Troika Ride" by Cristi Cary Miller

It's available for 3-part mixed and 2-part treble. Easy to learn counter melodies. It's satisfying for the singers because it goes together quickly. The accomp line sounds like briskly trotting horses.

 

"Let's Take a Sleigh Ride" by Mark Weston

Not sure if you can use it because it's only available as 2-part treble. In fact, it's mostly in unision, with harmonies that are easy for beginning part singers. If you need something not too difficult to fill out your program, this is a good choice.

I love this one because it's based on a theme from Prokofiev's Lt. Kije. Lyrics are delightfully descriptive of a December sleigh ride.

 

Ditto what Brian Holmes said about whether you wanted original works or arrangements of traditional songs. Also don't know if you're OK with specific Christmas content, or are looking for more general holiday/winter fare. If it's the former in both cases, I have three to recommend:

 

Mary's First Lullaby -- SATB and piano (or cello) -- published by Yelton Rhodes -- info here.

 

Harp Carol -- SATB and piano (or harp) with optional percussion -- published by Alliance -- info here.

 

This Holy Christmas Night -- SATB and piano (or organ) -- published by Walton -- info here.

 

All best!

Jonathan Santore

info(a)jonathansantore.com

www.jonathansantore.com

Hi Matthew,

I have a Celtic piece (a little bit like Anuna) called "Rejoice!" based on Veni Veni Emmanuel, available with the original lyrics (your choice) or non-doctrinal lyrics perfect for high school or community groups. It is available in English or Celtic phonetics. It comes with orchestration adaptable for small to mid size orchestration (piano, Violin-Bass Vio, flute, oboe, percussion). My high school choir loved this piece and it was a hit of the concert! :) Let me know and I can send you a pdf of the orchestra score or just the octavo if you would like. slb(a)rockarbormusic.com

I order approval copies from JW Pepper that I can send back after I choose.  I only have to pay shipping, and I get the music in my hands first.  It's a great service!

Hello Matthew:

 

I invite you to look at and and listen to my SATB setting of Sara Teasdale's "Christmas Carol."  It is not fast and it is not slow.  It moves a long in a gently lilting 6/8 in the style of a lullaby.  There is an occasional 11/8 measure - but not to worry.  It is there to allow the text to flow in a normal speech rhythm, and it occurs in the same places in each verse.  Thus the regularity makes it logical and manageable.  You may examine this piece at my website - www.BerkshireMusic.net.

 

Steve Murray

2013 American Prize semi-finalist

 

 

 

Hello Matthew,

 

I can recommend Come and See the Little Child, an original 'gospel' carol which I wrote recently. It is performable by unison,sa,sab or satb choirs, either a cappella or with piano and/or guitar accompaniment. It's listed on my website (donaldpatriquin.com) but as it is new and my site is being revised, it is not found on the website as pdf or mp3. I'd be pleased to send you a perusal mp3/pdf.

 

Donald

Look for SNOW, SNOW, BEAUTIFUL SNOW (SATB) - a Shawnee Press publication from years gone by, and a real energetic winner, not to mention that it's a great exercise in singing both ascending and descending diminished intervals! (b-t-w, this isn't the SNOW song from "White Christmas".   I wish I could give you  more specific info about this tune...but if you search the title on youtube you can hear it, also.

Good luck...

                                   t 

Hi Matthew -

 

I have a setting of a section of The Wind in the Willows, entitled "Joy Shall Be Yours" for SATB chorus, flute and piano. It has sacred references as well as secular portions. I'd be happy to send you a PDF (after I'm a little more settled from a major move.)

 

Jim Davis

 

I have published a set of six very amusing Pie Carols which, though appropriate at any time of year, are frequently programmed during the holiday season. Based on familiar carol tunes, these are quick and easy for your choir to learn and have consistently been among the audiences' most favorite pieces where they have been used.

 

I am happy to send free perusal copies to anyone who would like to see one. Please message me with a mailing address and I'll get them in the mail to you right away.

 

Dan Gawthrop

 

Matthew -- there's a movement called "Clip, Clop" from my cycle Journey to Bethlehem. It's scored for SATB choir and piano, with optional electric bass and percussion (you could use upright bass instead). The feel is sort of gospel-funk, and there's a simple soprano wail a few times.  The text is about the donkey going down the road to Bethlehem and all the other things that happen along the way.  The lyrics are very physical, tactile, and visual -- you can see the walk as the words go by. The energy is fantastic, and the rhythmic drive propels the whole thing.  If you (or anyone on the list) would like to see it, drop me a note to singwow(at)comcast.net.  I have a recording, too, that I can mail out if you give me your snail-mail address.

 

All best,

Jonathan